A taste of Italy: A tandem of wines suited for summer

May 30, 2013

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One of my biggest personal challenges when choosing wine is to look beyond the United States. Because of my familiarity with those regions, and the excellence of the wines they produce, I am often too quick to overlook wines from other parts of the world.

That’s a mistake. When some good friends invited me over last Friday for dinner, I brought two Italian wines, one red and one white.

A great start

With our appetizers — one of which was made with lump crabmeat — we opened an Attems 2011 Venezia Giulia pinot grigio ($20). Attems is a winery in the Friuli region of northeastern Italy situated on about 200 acres of terraced slopes, which are somewhat protected from the cold, northern winds.

Attems produces a variety of wines, including two pinot grigios. Pinot Grigio Ramato is a more traditional offering, in which the wine has a copper color and a unique aromatic intensity. The more contemporary pinot grigio, which is what I brought, is known for its freshness and fruitiness.

We were not disappointed.

The wine had a very crisp, clear color, floral nose, and an extremely smooth and refreshing taste. I’m not a huge fan of floral aromas, but here that wasn’t an issue. The aromas were perfectly balanced and complemented the fresh citrus flavors of the wine.

To say we were impressed would be an understatement. By any measure, this was an impressive wine and a great value. It would pair well with pork, chicken and seafood. If you’re a fan of white wines or pinot gris (the American name for pinot grigio) in particular, this Attems is not to be missed.

On to dinner

To accompany our main course, I opened a Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi 2009 Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina DOCG ($20). This well-regarded Chianti is a blend of 90 percent sangiovese grapes and 10 percent merlot, cabernet sauvignon and others. The winery is located east of Florence, Italy, on a mountainous side that overlooks the valley of the Arno River. The wine dates back to 1864.

This wine had a very deep, purple-red color. Its nose contained hints of sour cherry, raspberry and plum. The taste was rich and balanced, and the wine was very dry. The winemaker’s tasting notes suggest an “almost endless finish and abundant aromatic fruit,” though I don’t know that I’d go quite that far.

Overall, this was a solid wine that would work well with many foods: meats, stews and, of course, classic pasta dishes.

Red or white?

“Both wines were good,” said my friend Pam. “But the white had such depth.”

I’d agree. Though both were excellent, the Attems pinot grigio 2011 was a surprise. It was truly remarkable.